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  #1  
Old Thu 12 January 2012, 18:36
Kevin Ford
Just call me: Kevin #90
 
Ottawa
Canada
Introduction, Built, Cutting #90 - Ottawa Canada

Hi All

After much procrastination about posting, as we were focussed on getting it done, I have finally gotten around to introductions on this most useful forum. I am a little late. The machine is already cutting. I hope the associated web site and photos are worth the wait to you.

My son and I started it mid summer 2010. It started cutting/plotting summer 2011.

First, a little about why the project: I am a mechanical engineer, approaching the end of my career, with a lot of ideas waiting for the time to implement them. I am looking forward to a retirement that will be no retirement. Now how to prepare?

My son was working in an engineering department of a not-to-be-named company during his summer between year 3 and 4 of a mechanical engineering program. This is a time where all that theory should meet some practical experience before he graduates. They had him doing clerical work.

Since I wanted a Mechmate and he NEEDED some practical experience, I offered him the equivalent of his take home pay to work on the MechMate. He had 2 months of summer work term left. He agreed.

He had to learn welding (I used to be a welding inspector for nuclear components so I could guide him). He had to learn to specify and source components. He had to apply engineer calculations for strength, rigidity and vibrations analysis to redo the table. We made it with one third the steel.(box beams). Then came the electrical, shielding and computer issues.

Since I was the financier, I would not order the parts unless he showed me his research and analysis. For me the most important objective of this project was to give him some practical experience on what it takes to turn a few lines an engineer places on a piece of paper into something solid and functional, then live with the maintenance issues one designs into a product. You could measure his confidence grow as he experienced one challenge after another.

He gained a healthy respect for the many trades that go into a project like this and developed a strong electrical background too. This put him miles ahead of his peers in both mechanical and electrical engineering when he went back to school to work on his fourth year final design project.

When it started to make saw dust, he began to hone his CAD skills so he could quickly change vision into reality.

If the thing never worked I would have considered the project a success due to his personal growth. But I got a great machine out of it too! While the intent was to use it in a couple of years for my retirement sail boat project, word spread quickly amongst his friends and he is busy making one off parts and signs for some healthy cash. It has become a part time business that might take over. This is what our education system should produce.

To witness the progress, go to this web page:
http://www.routerford.com/About/index.html

and to see over 60 pictures of its construction go to:
http://www.routerford.com/photos/index.html

Be sure to click on the images to get larger pictures.

Kevin Ford PEng
CEO Parliant Corp
(We make iPhone Applications)
Ottawa
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  #2  
Old Thu 12 January 2012, 18:54
Kevin Ford
Just call me: Kevin #90
 
Ottawa
Canada
Built and Cutting in Ottawa Canada

After much procrastination, I have finally gotten around to posting on this most useful forum. I am a little late. The machine is already cutting. I hope the associated web site and photos are worth the wait.

First, a couple of unusual features:
1) The table uses about one third the steel of the original design and is working fine using max acceleration setting in the Mach3 Software.

2) Liquid cooling of the spindle bearing is a little unusual as we used liquid CPU cooling system from the computer gaming industry. In order to get the ultimate performance from their computers, gamers over rev their CPUs and therefore have to water cool them. This PC CPU/Spindle Bearing cooler is a closed system with the pump, reservoir and muffin fan on top of the little radiator, all sitting on the MechMate trolley. It works great. We even have digital readouts of coolant inlet and outlet temperatures on the Trolley.

The rest is an implementation of an already great design.

To witness the progress, go to this web page:
http://www.routerford.com/About/index.html

and to see over 60 pictures of its construction go to:
http://www.routerford.com/photos/index.html

Be sure to click on the images to get larger pictures.

Kevin Ford PEng
CEO Parliant Corp
(We make iPhone Applications)
Ottawa
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  #3  
Old Thu 12 January 2012, 19:25
danilom
Just call me: Danilo #64
 
Novi Sad
Serbia
Mechmate logo, dust ... you should apply for a serial number. Nice job!

One thing though, I don't see any reason to lighten the table, even with the two full sheets of sacrificial MDF (28+10mm) weighting near 100kg and all iron there is, I can feel its shaking on sharp turns.
I don't mind if someone want's to lighten his machine, but when you realize that any even the smallest milling machines have more weight than a standard mechmate, you got to ask yourself.. Why?
Ok for a laser cuter, but for a router, especially for the non moving part (table) it could be considered a bad idea.
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  #4  
Old Thu 12 January 2012, 20:07
Kevin Ford
Just call me: Kevin #90
 
Ottawa
Canada
Why the lighter table? Shaking on sharp turns???

Hi

Thanks for your feedback.

We did not start out to make it lighter. We wanted to make it transportable so we did a structural analysis and decided that a box beam vs open C channel structure would provide the rigidity we needed.

Upon retirement I will be downsizing our home and up sizing our garage. The table will be moved then. I wanted a rigid frame during the move. Note the scaffolding wheels stored on the frame. The vertical pipes that the wheels will be placed into are set at the same width as a mid sized car. We can unplug the machine. Use a car jack to lift an end, take the scaffold wheels and slide them into the pipes welded to the frame. We chock the gantry and trolley so the steel wheels are not in contact with the rails. We can then wheel the entire machine onto a car trailer and move it to it's new site where we need a 210 Volt wall plug, some levelling and we are back in business.

As a home machine we are not so interested in high production rates so we can afford to run the machine a little slower on the turns using Mach3's max acceleration software features which reduces the trolly induced vibration.

I acknowledge that table mass is desirable for absorbing cutter vibrations. We intend to add 2 shelves under the table to store multiple 4 x 8 ft sheets of material. We save space in the garage, avoid warping by having the material stored flat and increase the table mass. That is not shown in the photos.

Mass of the frame is not the only approach to dealing with vibrations. Only time will tell if we are right for the kind and frequency of cutting we intend to do. It seems to work fine right now.
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  #5  
Old Thu 12 January 2012, 22:27
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
Kevin, this story of Michael's "journey" has made my day! It brought back many memories of the route that my son and I covered - there are so many similarities. Thanks for posting this.
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  #6  
Old Thu 12 January 2012, 22:31
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
(merged 2 personal threads into one)
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  #7  
Old Thu 12 January 2012, 22:41
Kevin Ford
Just call me: Kevin #90
 
Ottawa
Canada
Thank you for making your creation an Open Source project.
It was monumental enough to build it, but then to document it, then answer all those question of us newbies... I am in awe of what you and now Mike Ray give to the community.
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  #8  
Old Thu 12 January 2012, 22:57
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Great build! That table is very similar to the one I have on my drawing board!
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  #9  
Old Thu 12 January 2012, 23:38
Kevin Ford
Just call me: Kevin #90
 
Ottawa
Canada
Good luck with the build. Enjoy the journey.
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  #10  
Old Fri 13 January 2012, 06:17
jhiggins7
Just call me: John #26
 
Hebron, Ohio
United States of America
Kevin and Mike,

Looks like Serial Number time.
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  #11  
Old Fri 13 January 2012, 11:24
MetalHead
Just call me: Mike
 
Columbiana AL
United States of America
Yup !!! Kevin you get #90 !! Great looking build.
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  #12  
Old Fri 13 January 2012, 17:44
jhiggins7
Just call me: John #26
 
Hebron, Ohio
United States of America
Updated Builder's Log

Kevin and Mike Ford,

Congratulations on completing your MechMate and earning Serial #90.

Your's is a very impressive and inspiring story. Great work!

Here is the Updated Builder's Log.

Please review your entry and let me know any changes you wish to make.
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  #13  
Old Sat 14 January 2012, 04:08
234ahmed
Just call me: Ahmed #81
 
Damietta
Egypt
Congratulations Kevin. Great looking machine.Enjoy
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  #14  
Old Sat 14 January 2012, 09:35
javeria
Just call me: Irfan #33
 
Bangalore
India
Very Nice built - I like the pictures and a very neat control cabinet assy.

have fun with your MM!
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  #15  
Old Sat 14 January 2012, 21:05
domino11
Just call me: Heath
 
Cornwall, Ontario
Canada
Congrats Kevin!
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  #16  
Old Sun 15 January 2012, 02:12
kaartman
Just call me: Koning #20
 
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
Congratulations Kevin, copied no4 ''Upon retirement I will be downsizing our home and up sizing our garage'' I like this statement
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